Jeff and Rebecca process some public comments about the idea of being "well-read," a big influencer book club, a study on the gender of animals in kids books, and more book news of the week.
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Discussed in this episode:
BookTok celeb Jack Edwards launches Inklings book club to “elevate” online reading culture
Obamas’ production company picks up All the Sinners Bleed
National Association of Black Bookstores launches
Study shows gender bias in animal characters in children’s books
Frontlist Foyer, brought to you by Thriftbooks:
The Book of Alchemy
Clam Down by Anelise Chen
How to Be a Living Thing by Mari Andrew
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54:51
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54:51
The 2025 Booker Longlist Is Here
Jeff and Rebecca break down the 2025 longlist for the Booker Prize, digest the news of a new book from Kamala Harris, lament the demise of class (behavior, not socio-economic status), and much more.
Jeff and Rebecca decide what the It Book of August will be.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.
Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.
Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.
Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Discussed in this episode:
Kamala Harris to publish memoir about presidential race in September
The 2025 Booker Prize longlist
And a possible conflict of interest on the Booker panel
We’re getting a new George Saunders novel in January
Maggie by Katie Yee
The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan
Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
The Feather Detective by Chris Sweeney
The Brain at Rest by Joseph Jebelli
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1:10:21
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1:10:21
The It Books of August
Jeff and Rebecca decide what the It Book of August will be.
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Discussed in this episode:
We are hiring.
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46:33
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46:33
Making a Case for Supporting Independent Media, Way Early Award Nominations, and More
Vanessa Diaz joins Jeff as he workshops a couple of takes, before they dive into IMAX scalping, way early award longlists, and more of the week's book news.
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Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.
Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.
Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18!
The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Discussed in this Episode:
The Odyssey IMAX Showtimes Sell Out Instantly as Scalpers List Resales Higher Than $200
The Center For Fiction Releases the Longlist for 2025 First Fiction Prize in July, because sure
The Book Industry Study Group conducting survey on how AI is changing publishing
Spotify expanding audiobooks plans, language is confusing
Audiobook walking clubs?
Deep Historical Survey on Gender Split of Who Writes Fiction
The Bewitching by Silvia Morreno-Garcia
Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
Algospeak by Adam Aleksic
Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart
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1:02:30
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1:02:30
Power Ranking the Books of 1995
It's as far back as we go with these historical rankings--30 years to 1995. Strange year, that sees Jeff pick a single copy of an individual book in his top 10. Christian dystopias, fairy tale retellings, genre-changing memoirs: there are spots for all of them in our top 10s.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.
Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.
Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18!
The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.
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News in the world of books and reading, including hot industry releases, adaptations, publishing industry events, and more with Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky.
Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America and home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original content, all designed around diverse readers and across all genres.
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